Gardens & Parks

• Arboretum of the University of Central Florida — An arboretum and botanical garden covering 80 acres (32 hectares), it contains more than 600 species of plants, including more than 100 bromeliads, in cultivated gardens. Its cultivated areas currently include a Conservatory Compound, a Bromeliad Sanctuary, Cycad Garden, Fern Garden, Palm Collection, Rose Garden, Swamp Habitat, and Wetland Plants Display.
• Harry P. Leu Gardens, 1920 N Forest Ave, +1 407-246-2620, [16]. Daily 9AM-5PM except Christmas Day. Beautiful landscaped gardens and lakes set in nearly 50 acres of land, featuring flora gathered from around the globe since 1936 including the largest rose garden in Florida and America's largest Camellia collection outside of California. Leu House, Harry P. Leu's former home set within the grounds and dating back to the 1880's, has tours every 30 minutes around its museum illustrating Florida living at the turn of the 20th century (closed during July). You can get married in various places in the gardens and there are special events held throughout the year. $5 (free every Monday 9AM-noon).
• World of Orchids — Featuring thousands of blooms in an enclosed tropical rain forest. World of Orchids is a working greenhouse shipping orchids and other plants nationwide. A greenhouse covers nearly an acre (4,000 m²), and in this controlled climate of warm, humid air some 1,000 orchids are displayed in a natural jungle setting, with streams, waterfalls, and squawking parrots. World of Orchids also has a 1,000 foot (300 m) long boardwalk meandering off into nearby wetlands. Admission is free.

Museums

• Cornell Fine Arts Museum, Rollins College. Features items from Cornell's renowned permanent collection. Admission is free.
• International Trolley and Train Museum — Features 14 model railroad trains with sound and lighting traveling through an indoor garden with 12 foot (4 m) high mountains, waterfalls, and more than 30 trestles and tunnels. Also on display are toy trains from the 1920s to the present. Visitors can catch a ride in a California Victorian-style half open/half closed trolley or the 5/8-scale replica of an 1880 locomotive (a Mason Bogey) with its passenger cars.
• The Holy Land Experience — A biblical theme park and museum complex.
• The Orange County Regional History Center — Features exhibits and artifacts from the earliest days of the region to the modern day. Includes information on everything from the time of the Seminole Indians to the founding of the city to the Civil Rights era to the Disney period to today.
• The Orlando Museum of Art — Ongoing exhibitions of American portraits and landscapes, American impressionist works, and art of the ancient Americas.
• The Orlando Science Center — A 207,000 square foot (19,000 m²) hands-on learning center with hundreds of interactive exhibits for visitors of all ages. Images surround visitors on the giant screen of the Dr. Phillips CineDome. Other attractions include the Body Zone, teaching health and fitness, as well as an observatory. The center has the largest refracting telescope in Florida.
• Ripley's Believe It or Not! Orlando Odditorium, 8201 International Drive, +1 407 363-4418, [17]. Located in a building artfully constructed to appear as if it were collapsing to one side. Visitors can explore bizarre artifacts, strange collections, weird art/hobbies (for example, check out the 3/4-scale model of a 1907 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost automobile made entirely of matchsticks and glue), and interactive exhibits in sixteen odd galleries. Seriously schlocky, yet fun.

Sports Teams

• Orlando Magic (NBA).
• Orlando Predators (AFL).
• Orlando Sharks (MISL).
• University of Central Florida Knights (NCAA Division I FBS).

By plane

Those traveling by air can enter via Orlando International Airport (IATA: MCO) [1], Orlando's primary airport. A secondary airport that serves the Central Florida area is the Orlando-Sanford International Airport (IATA: SFB) [2] located in Sanford, a city north of Orlando.

Flights enter Orlando International Airport from all over the United States as well as international destinations in Europe, South America, Mexico, and Canada.

By train

Orlando has an Amtrak [3] station that provides service to other destinations such as Miami, but also connects to other points as far north as New York via the Silver Star and Silver Meteor lines.

In nearby Sanford, the southern terminus of the Amtrak Auto Train which carries passengers and automobiles between Sanford and Lorton, Virginia, effectively serving as a car-rail link from Orlando to the Washington, D.C. Metro Area.

By bus

• Greyhound, 555 North John Young Parkway, [4]. Visitors arriving by Greyhound can go south on SR 423 to Interstate 4 to get to the major Attractions.

Shuttle Services

There are several shuttle services options that run from the airport to various points, including Kissimmee, theme parks, University of Central Florida, and the cruise port at Port Canaveral.

• Mears Transportation Group, 407-422-2222, [5].
• Disney's Magical Express, 407-W-DISNEY, [6] — Complimentary shuttle and luggage delivery service for guests stay at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel. Advance reservations are required.

By car

The car is still king in Orlando, and it is a very easy and convenient (if not congested) way to get to your destination. The roads are all wide and easy to drive on with all the major areas signposted, but traffic jams around downtown are common in the afternoons, and around the tourists areas on Saturday nights.

If you arrive by air via Orlando International Airport and get a rental car, go to the North Exit and head to SR 528 West to get to International Drive, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld. This will require $0.75 in tolls. A short-cut to Walt Disney World is the South Exit to SR 417 South, following it to Exit 5, and taking SR 536 straight into Disney. This requires $2 in tolls.

In Orlando, the main tourism area is International Drive, a strip of road that runs parallel to I-4 for about 10 miles.

To get to the Space Coast beaches, such as Cocoa Beach, as well as the cruise terminals of Port Canaveral, use SR 528, the Bee Line Expressway (recently renamed to the Beach Line), which is I-4 Exit 72.

Orlando is the largest rental car market in the world and is known as capital of car rental companies, with all major car rental companies easily accessible from inside the airport.

By Car Rentals

Located in terminal at the Orlando International Airport:

• Alamo, [7].
• Avis, [8].
• Dollar Car Rental.
• E-Z Rent-A-Car, 800-277-5171, [9].
• L&M Car Rental, [10].
• National Car Rental, [11].
• Thrifty Car Rental.

By bus

Orlando's public transportation is the Lynx bus service. Approximately 60 routes serve the metro Orlando area and costs $1.75 per ride (transfers included) except for the free Lymmo bus service as noted below. Check out Go Lynx for routes and fares.

By trolley

• I-Ride Trolley, +1 407-248-9590, [12]. Along International and Universal Drive, this primarily serves tourists in the attractions area. While the service is advertised as a trolley, the trolleys are in fact modified buses and there is no dedicated traffic lane for the service; heavy traffic with many stops makes for a very slow ride. There are 85 stops along the main route on International Drive and 22 stops on the route that serves Universal Drive. The fare is $1 per ride. Per-day and multi-day bus passes are available from many locations.

By limo/shuttle service

• Lymmo Bus, 1-841-LYNX. This free service operates frequently in a circuit in Downtown Orlando, from City Hall to the Centroplex and back. The Lymmo has a dedicated lane and stations with streetcar type control signals and modified buses that allow passengers to enter the bus without climbing. M-Th 6AM-10PM, F 6AM-12AM, Sa 10AM-12AM, Su 10AM-10PM.

• Orlando Limo Service, [13] — Orlando Airport Shuttle & Earth Friendly Transportation to & from Disney World! Make your next connection an eco-friendly one! Orlando's 1st Car Service Company to "go Green." Experience the latest advances in transportation and ride in a car on the technological edge. You can make a difference! Remember the contribution you will make riding with Linc's Transportation: Gives you the satisfaction of knowing that your family, kids and their future will be happier and healthier. Expands our ability to provide up to date transportation to more caring citizens while improving the air quality in the State of Florida, raises public awareness on how individuals have the ability to make a difference, educates decision makers about impacts energy use has on the environment and public health, and notifies citizens with accurate information to counter rhetoric from polluters. You can make it happen!

By taxi

• Ace Metro / Luxury Cab, +1 407-855-1111.
• Diamond Cab Company, +1 407-523-3333.
• Green Taxi Earth Friendly Cab, +1 321-239-2289, [14].
• Linc's Transportation Cab, +1 321-689-4777, [15].
• Star Taxi, +1 407-857-9999.
• Town & Country Transportation, +1 407-828-3035.
• Yellow / City Cab, +1 407-699-9999.

Major malls

The Florida Mall, [27] — The biggest mall in Orlando located at the crossroads of Orange Blossom Trail and Sandlake Road. Home to hundreds of shops and anchored by Saks Fifth Avenue, Macys, Dillards, Nordstrom, JC Penney, and Sears. You can go an entire day in this mall and still not finish.

The Mall at Millenia, [28] — This is Orlando's most upscale and beautiful mall. Find everything from Tiffany's to Hugo Boss and Gucci. Also home to upscale department stores like Macy's, Bloomingdales and Neiman Marcus. This mall is part of the very new and trendy Millenia area of Orlando. Located conveniently on the Conroy Road exit off of I-4 a few miles south of Downtown.

Orlando Fashion Square, [29] — Located on east Colonial Drive just north of downtown.

Outlet malls

Orlando Premium Outlets, [30] — Home to the biggest designers such as Armani, Fendi, Burberry, Ferragamo, Lacoste, Coach. Also home to Tommy Hilfiger, Nike, Polo, Nautica and many more. Located off of 535 and visible from I-4 closest to the Disney World area. This is the best mall to pick up bargains from all the name brands and designer wear.

Prime Outlets International (formerly Beltz) — Home to many designers such as Polo, DKNY, Nike, Reebok, and Liz Claiborne. The mall is currently undergoing major renovation but the outside centers are still open and have the above stores.

Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores, [31] — Select from over 300 designer and name brands such as Gap, Reebok, Carters and Eddie Bauer. Stores offer factory direct, quality merchandise at savings up to 75%. Located off of SR 535 near International Drive and Disney.

Ethnic enclaves

• Little Saigon, Colonial Dr (just east of downtown). Here you will find about 100 stores that stock items from China, Vietnam, Hong Kong, etc. Also home to many Asian restaurants. The shops will mainly consist of Asian grocery stores and gift shops and a few herbal healing stores.

• Little India area — This area is a bit spread out. You will find many Indian stores in the South Orange Blossom Trail area on the main streets and side roads. Starting with Lancaster Road, which houses a video store and Indian restaurant, and then traveling south you will see a few Indian shops in clusters every mile all the way to 417 where you end at the local Indian movie theater.

• Stefano's Trattoria, 1425 Tuskawilla Rd (Intersection of Red Bug and Tuskawilla in Winter Springs), ☎ (407) 659-0101, [32]. Small, family-run, quiet (but still delicious) Italian/Sicilian restaurant five minutes out of Orlando. A local gem! (Best advice on dishes: Ask Stefano to personally make a recommendation, he walks around the restaurant and will tell you exactly what you want to eat!)$$.  edit

• Bubbalou's Bodacious BBQ, [33]. There are three Bubbalou's locations in the Orlando area. Offers BBQ ribs, sandwiches and other smoked delights. Atmosphere has a home-style feel and plenty of pig companions.

• Calypso Bar and Grill, 6300 Parc Corniche Dr, [34]. Great menu with a Key West themed dining experience.

• CityWalk, [35] — Located at Universal Orlando, features a variety of restaurants such as Margaritaville, Hard Rock Cafe, Pastamore, NASCAR Cafe and much more. Parking is $10 during the day and free after 6PM (except during holidays or special events, such as Halloween Horror Nights).

• Gabriel's Subs, 2840 Curry Ford Rd. Excellent hot veggie subs.

• Garden Cafe, 810 W Colonial Dr, [36]. Fantastic vegetarian (mostly vegan) Chinese food.

• Garibaldi Mexican Restaurant, 929 N Semoran Blvd. The best dishes are: Chili Relleno and cheese enchilada.

• Ponderosa, [37] — An American steakhouse with a wide and varied buffet, from sausages to muffins all day. Great for those with a sweet tooth.

• Rolando's Cuban Restaurant, 870 Semoran Blvd, Casselberry. Serves excellent rice, yucca, eggplant, plantains, and guava.

• Rossi's Pizza, 5919 S Orange Blossom Trl, +1 407-855-5755. Located at the corner of Oak Ridge & Orange Blossom Trail. Highly recommend the 12 inch thin-crust pepperoni pizza.

• The Boheme Restaurant , 325 South Orange Ave, (in the Westin Grand Bohemian), +1 407-313-9000, [38].

• Tony's Deli, 1323 N Mills Ave. Best dishes: fava bean salad, hommous, taboolie, baklava.

• Uncle Jones BBQ, 1370 E Altamonte Dr, Altamonte Spgs. Serving the best potatoes ever, along with, lima beans, BBQ pork, corn bread, fried okra, and Texas toast.

• Vito's Chop House, 8633 International Dr, +1 407-354-2467, [39]. Great cooking, great wine. $15-$30.

Splurge

• Khasiyat Indian Cuisine, 852 W. Lancaster Rd, +1 407-888-2147. Vegetarian/Indian cuisine.

• Norman's, 4000 Central Florida Pkwy, (at Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes), +1 407-393-4333, [40]. Chef Norman Van Aken. Prix-fixe $55 and up.

Orlando nightlife away from the theme parks is centered mostly around Central Boulevard and Orange Avenue in downtown Orlando. Here you can walk and find many bars and several dance clubs from the chic urban Rhythm and Flow to the Mulvaney's Irish Pub. A short walk away is the tiny Thornton Park District, located near the intersection of Washington and Summerlin. Among the dozens of cafés and pubs, you might stop in for a drink and a quick bite at Dexter's on Washington. For local flair head across the street to Burton's Frosty Mug, or sample the hip urban environment at the trendy HUE at the corner of Washington and Central.

Although most of the downtown Central avenue crowd is comprised of the "twentysomething" generation, for a more 30's and over entertainment experience, one can enjoy live jazz on many nights in the lounge of the Westin Grand Bohemian Hotel located downtown on Orange Avenue. The jazz is excellent and the ambiance is quite comfortable, although drinks tend to be pretty pricey here.

Also, for a more professional crowd with a Latin twist, there is the Samba Room, located on Sand Lake Road, about 3/4 west of I-4. This is a lively restaurant and happy hour type of place. The look is chic and the locals and tourists alike gather here for a quality food, beverage and people watching experience. You should ditch the shorts and flip-flops for a more casual chic look, but if you do you will be rewarded with a nice experience here. If you are traveling west on Sand Lake Road, after passing I-4, The Samba Room is on the left in a large shopping plaza. Latin food, music and mojitos are just some of the specialties here.

Across the street from the Samba Room, on Sand Lake Road, is the Old Vines wine bar, featuring live jazz usually from Thurs. through Saturday nights. The wine selection is extensive and the live jazz is some of the best in town. The jazz is performed in the front of the room by the entrance. There is a divider that separates the more intimate rear portion of the establishment, which is the main dining area.

There are quite a few places to enjoy quality dining and drinks along Park Avenue in Winter Park, an adjacent suburb which is just northeast of Orlando. Winter Park is known for its many older grande homes that dominate the more historic sections of this suburb affectionately referred to by many as the center of Orlando's "old money." Park Avenue is an active pedestrian street featuring trendy shoppes, galleries, restaurants and nightspots. It has recently grown from becoming a one street attraction to more of a district, as several nearby streets have now added similar attractions.

Of particular interest and uniqueness on Park Avenue is the Wine Room, a converted bank featuring literally hundreds of wines available for self serve sampling. The mode of purchasing here is to pre-load a wine "credit card" supplied by the Wine Room. You are then at liberty to peruse the entire building and select any wine you wish to try, merely by inserting your "credit card." Each wine station automatically deducts the value of your current purchase and advises you of your card balance. Dress is very casual here and you are likely to meet both locals and visitors, all sampling and enjoying their vinos of choice throughout the night.

At the theme parks, there is Pleasure Island at Disney World and the CityWalk at Universal Studios. For a nominal admission fee, both sites offer numerous venues for libations and entertainment. If you're staying along International Drive, there are plenty of bars, pubs, and clubs.

• Orlando Bars & Night Club Reviews are available online [41].